Firefly: Maelstrom
by Sabre Hardy
Summary: An attempt to reveal the truth behind the suspicious character of Shepherd Derria Book. Also, River's abilities face a new test, one that may endanger the lives of Serenity's crew once more. Post Serenity with new characters and new locations. R and R.
1. Chapter 1: Arms of the Vortex

**NOTE: This work of fan fiction takes place after 'Serenity'. It may contain new characters and new locations not previously created by Joss Whedon. This work contains Chinese phrases which may need research to understand. **

**DISCLAIMER: This work should be considered a work of fan fiction only. The author is not affiliated with Joss Whedon, Universal Studios, News Corportation Limited, Fox Entertainment, or any other person or company affiliated with the above. The author is not affliated with the television show 'Firefly' or the motion picture 'Serenity'. **

**maelstrom **/**mayl**-strum/ _n._ **1** great whirlpool. **2** state of confusion. Dutch

_The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary, Fourth Edition_

"The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness."

Tsun Tzu's _Art Of War_

**Chapter One**

**Arms of the Vortex**

"Gorram it, Mal, Persephone ain't three days travel from here. Why do we have to go to this rock for?"

Mal looked up from the pistol he was cleaning. "Jayne, you don't get it, do you?"

"You're damn right I don't get it." Jayne stood from his chair, shoulders taught with anger. "I mean, surely there's some Alliance round here can take care of that?"

"You don't think I checked, Jayne?" Mal stood, dropping the pistol on the table and meeting Jayne's eyes.

Jayne was steady. "No, I think you got River to check."

"Yeah…well, she needed to learn." Mal looked away from Jayne, taking a step back. "Listen, Jayne, we can't afford not to check out this distress signal. What if they're rich?"

"Mal, money ain't everything…"

"You don't believe that."

"No, you're right. When do you want me ready?"

"Twenty minutes."

"Yessir, Cap'n."

Mal nodded and returned to his pistol, taking the cloth and rubbing the barrel. He smiled gently to himself. He knew what was on the ship that was sending out the distress signal. River had told him – money. Lots of it. Enough to set him up for years on board Serenity.

- - - -

River regarded the glowing panels of Serenity's navigation system carefully. Noting the small flashing dot on the panel she carefully pulled on the steering. She felt the movement as keenly as if she was the ship. River closed her eyes.

- - - -

Mal walked into the engine room, and spied Kaylee in her hammock, book in hand. "Hey there, mei-mei," he said, looking around, "How's my girl?"

Kaylee didn't even stir. "Ship's fine, Captain. Repairs seem to be holding. Ain't nothing wrong."

"Good." Mal walked to the engine, and watched as the machine turned. "I can't thank you enough, Kaylee," he said. "You managed to repair my ship after the beating she got. Couldn't ask for any more."

Kaylee sighed. "She's as much mine as she is yours, sir," she said.

"Yeah. I know." Mal turned and looked at the hammock. "Inara wanted to see you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She never tells me anything."

Kaylee threw the book onto the metal floor, and jumped out of the hammock. "You know, Captain, if you just opened up to her…"

"Kaylee." The mechanic stopped as Mal held her gaze. "Don't be talking to me about Inara. They're my feelings, not yours. I'll express them when I need to. Dong ma?"

Kaylee looked down at her book. "Yes, sir." Then she turned, and smiled.

Mal once again studied the engine. "Oh, and Kaylee," he said. Kaylee paused and looked over her shoulder at the captain. "Don't share this with Inara, either."

Kaylee nearly laughed. "Captain, I'm not going to tell her anything she don't already know." The mechanic continued walking as Mal looked up, startled.

The ship gave a sudden lurch to the right.

Mal picked himself up from the floor where he'd been thrown. Cursing under his breath, he steadied himself before crying out, "River!"

- - - -

River, eyes still closed, though only of the distress signal. She could hear it, almost, winking in and out in her head. She had no need of the navigation systems now – River Tam needed only feel Serenity in her grip and her mind.

She was becoming attuned to the ship, and she knew it. In fact, she had allowed it: it was something to dull the other sounds in her head. She was safe on Serenity, she knew, and the ship knew that too –

"River!"

Her eyes snapped open.

"River, what in the name of Jesus are you doing?" Mal braced himself against the door frame before stumbling into the bridge. "You trying to turn our innards into your brother's soup?"

River simply met Mal's gaze. "I'm following the distress beacon," she said.

"River, distress beacons don't move like that."

Pointing at the windscreen, River said, "That one does."

Mal looked up, then instantly turned back to River, his eyes wild with rage. "Damn it, girl, that's Alliance! Go! Evasive measures!"

She almost didn't comprehend what Mal was saying. Alliance? she thought, But the voices said…

Then her eyes unfogged, and the distressed vehicle she had been following became a huge Alliance battle cruiser. Instantly her reflexes kicked in, and Serenity bucked upwards in response.

Mal reached for the radio. "Attention, this is the Captain. Strap yourselves in there folks, the pilot's gone a little crazy. Don't worry, I'm sure the Alliance battle cruiser ahead of us will help us out sometime soon, enjoy your flight." He replaced the radio. "Damn it, girl," he said to River, "I hope you can fly like Wash."

River smiled. "I learned all I know from him, and he didn't even know it." The ship turned on its side in response to River's controls.

Mal looked away from River and watched the cruiser as it sprung to life. "I hope you can dodge that ship there better than he did those Reavers…"

- - - -

Zoe stumbled into the dining hall. "What the hell is going on?" she said to no one in particular.

It was Jayne that answered. "No idea, but the Captain said something about the psychic going crazy." He pulled the strap on the chair around him, buckling it. "Damn girl's gonna make me loose my lunch."

Simon grimaced. "I already have," he said.

Zoe stumbled as the ship moved to the left, throwing plates of the dining table. Moving quickly, she went to the chair closest to her when –

"Hell! That was a hit!" Jayne looked wildly around the room, finally settling on Zoe's face. "They really have it in for us, don't they?"

"They sure do." Zoe strapped herself in.

Kaylee choose that moment to stumble into the room. "Zoe, their hurting Serenity!" she said. "Explosion took out the communications array."

"Can we still talk to the Captain?"

"Internals are still up."

Zoe unbuckled her belt. "Good," she said to Kaylee. She had to stop herself yelling into the radio. "Captain, communications array has been wiped."

Mal swore. "Damn Alliance won't quit when they're beaten…"

"Mal, get us out of here…"

"We're working on it."

- - - -

River didn't even seem to be pulling a sweat, despite the turret fire blazing all around Serenity. Mal couldn't help noting this even as his own beads of sweat cascaded down his forehead. Girl sure can fly, he thought.

Suddenly River pulled on the controls, hard, and Serenity responded by pulling her nose up, and spinning, thrusters kicking in at the crucial moment to level the ship out and direct her away from the turret fire. "Go!" said Mal, and River complied.

Mal felt the familiar tug as Serenity pulled away from the Alliance cruiser. He looked at River. "Put her on auto. Come on down to the dining hall. We need to talk."

- - - -

"What in the hell just happened?" Mal asked River.

"I'm unsure," came the reply.

"What does that mean?" asked Jayne, disbelief clear on his face.

River shrugged. "I would venture to say that an Alliance cruiser interfered with my cognitive processes, but you probably wouldn't understand that."

Simon stood up, and went to River. "What did you say?"

"What did she say?" said Jayne.

"I said: I would venture to say that…"

"Yes, I heard you," said Simon, "I'm just trying to work it out."

Mal looked at Simon. "Well, please, share your thoughts with us. Because we'd all like to understand what just happened to my ship."

"Mal, I think what River is trying to say," said Simon, slowly, "Is that the Alliance got into River's mind."

"Like at the lab?" asked Zoe.

"No," Simon replied, "This is different. River, what exactly happened?"

"I thought I saw a distress beacon, but Mal come up and he yelled, and then there was an Alliance cruiser right there…"

"Wait." Mal put his hand up. "Are you telling me…are you saying they made you see that?"


	2. Chapter 2: The Problem With Book

**Chapter Two**

**The Problem With Book**

Serenity floated silently in the void of space. Inside, however, the volume levels were anything but quiet.

"What do you mean, the Alliance has psychics?"

"Jayne, seriously, have you even been paying some attention lately?"

"I don't like any of this…"

"I thought we'd dealt with the gorram Alliance?"

"Apparently not…"

"Why do you have to look down on everything I say, Doc?"

"Oh no…"

"Perhaps it's because you need an intellec…"

"Bi-zui!" River slammed her hands on the table. "I hate it when people argue!"

Mal looked sympathetic. "So do I… unless there's a gun in my face. Then I love to argue."

"You're such a _man_, aren't you, Mal?" said Inara.

"Look, that's not the issue here." Mal stood. "The issue is what we're gonna do about the Alliance now. Obviously we can't have them doing what they're doing to River, not after the Miranda incident."

Simon shifted his gaze to focus on River. "Captain," he said, "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"We're gonna solve this problem with River. I don't care if I have to start another war, either."

Jayne snorted. "Damn girl, still getting us in trouble…"

"My ship, Jayne. You don't like it; you can get the hell off."

"I hear space looks good when you're running out of oxygen," said Zoe.

Mal grinned. "You heard that too?"

"Alright, I'm in…gorram hun-dan…"

River looked at Simon, and sighed. "I like these people," she said, and Simon smiled. Every time River said something like this, something halfway _normal_, he had one more small handle of hope to cling to. But this new development scared Simon. He wanted to be rid of the Alliance now more than ever – a thought that sometimes led to River. His thoughts cast back, to a few nights previous, when he and Kaylee had been talking. Sometimes, he confessed, the thought of getting rid if the Alliance made him want to get rid of River. That thought scared him most of all.

- - - -

Inara lit an incense stick and relaxed her body as the thin tendrils of scented smoke wafted over her. Peace. Inara loved it. It was times like this, when something big had just happened on the ship, that Inara really appreciated having the shuttle all to herself. Yet, despite how much she loved this little piece of Serenity, and indeed the ship as a whole, a part of her still wanted to go back the Academy and…

"Inara?"

Inara startled, and then steadied herself. "Kaylee, hi."

"Captain said you wanted to see me?"

"Oh, yes. Please, sit." Inara gestured towards the chair. "It was nothing, really just girl talk."

"It's been a while."

Inara smiled. "It has."

"I'm sorry, Inara, it's just that between Serenity and Simon, I've had very little time to see you."

"It's OK, really." Inara smiled again. "I understand what it's like to be in love." Inara bowed her head. "So, tell me. Has the Captain said anything to you about me lately?"

"Oh, we had a little chat this morning, right before River got the crazies. Another not-quite-confession of his feelings."

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, about my tenure here…"

"Nothing."

Inara sighed. She lifted her head and looked Kaylee square in the eye. Then, she laughed.

"What's funny?"

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just, the way you think I'm instantly talking about Mal's feelings for me…"

"Inara." Kaylee was not laughing. "You two are almost pathetic."

The comment was so unlike Kaylee that Inara was momentarily stunned. "What?" she stammered.

"Come on, Inara, pull yourself together. Used to be men were all we talked about. Now, one mention of Mal and you try to cover things up. You're not being true to yourself." With that, Kaylee stood up, and went to walk out of the shuttle.

"Kaylee, wait!" Inara said. When Kaylee turned to look at her, Inara said, "I'm sorry. It's just that things have sort of changed between us."

"Changed?"

"Yes. After Miranda, we had a small talk. I said that I wanted to stay on board. Things were going well, we were talking more, and my feelings grew deeper… and then, he just grew all distant."

Kaylee considered. "And this changes the way we discuss things because…"

"Because now I'm confused about my feelings for him, Kaylee, and I'm trying to sort it out for myself."

Kaylee nodded. "OK," she said. "I understand." Kaylee turned to walk out the door again. "I'm sorry, Inara, really I am. When you want to talk, I'm here."

- - - -

Zoe sat in her quarters, on the floor, knees huddled together. Tears ran down her face as she watched the holographic projections of Wash, playing with his dinosaurs. It never used to be this bad, she thought. I've had friends die in front of me before. Why is this so different?

Holographic Wash smashed two dinosaurs together. He was so much fun, she thought. How can someone so happy, so adorable, simply die in a nanosecond? What was wrong with the verse that these things happened in the first place?

She stared at the image of her late husband. "Hoban, my love, why did you have to leave me? Why did you have to leave me here all on my own? I need you, babe…I need you here with me."

Zoe cried.

- - - -

"Land over there." Mal pointed at a flat piece of terrain, about half a kilometre wide. "That's good, lots of shelter and close to the base."

River gently pulled on the controls and then pressed a few buttons. Serenity made her way down, slowly, carefully navigating the buffeting wind currents. The Firefly class spacecraft landed right in the middle of the plateau, and River stared at the dust-storm whipping over the top the craft. She shook her head. "I'm glad you could see this spot," she said to Mal.

"Sometimes experience counts, kid." Mal unbuckled his belt, and stood. Then, he did a double take. "Wait, you mean you couldn't see it?"

"I wasn't paying attention. I was trying to count the dust particles."

Mal stood in place, stunned. He shook his head. "I sure hope you're just joking, girl, else you'll owe me a new set of nerves." He opened the bridge door and stepped into the corridor, moving towards the intercom. "Everyone, dinning hall, now." Mal turned off the panel and then kept walking. River's light footsteps sounded behind him, just as the door to Kaylee's room opened.

"What's the job, Cap'n?" said Jayne as he entered from the cargo hold. Simon followed him in.

"Nothing much, just a simple delivery. A last service to Mr Universe, we're taking his wave screens and equipment to the Sleipnir."

Jayne's face lit up. "We're going to see Zeke?" When Mal nodded, Jayne pumped his fist. "Yes, I'm gonna have me some fun!"

"No fighting, Jayne," said Mal. When Jayne's expression didn't change, he continued, "And no whoring, either, we're only here for a short stop. Simon, you want to come along, meet Zeke and his crew?"

Simon tried hard not to look at Kaylee. "No, I'm going to stay here, check my inventory."

Mal shrugged. "Fine, Kaylee, you're coming. River, you too. With me and Jayne that's four and we'll take the Mule. Jayne, I want you to get started on loading as much as you can without us getting too heavy."

Jayne thought for a second. "Might have to do two loads."

"The thought crossed my mind. Kaylee, go with his, make sure he doesn't get himself electrocuted. I want to be gone in an hour, alright?"

"Yes, Captain," said Kaylee, already heading for the cargo hold.

Simon looked around. "Where's Zoe?" he asked.

Mal paused. "She's going to need some time for herself, right now. Wash was born here; his folks don't know anything yet."

- - - -

The Sleipnir's glowing interior seemed to dazzle River. "It's beautiful," she said to Kaylee.

Kaylee smiled. "Most Pegasus class ships are. This one's had some pretty neat modifications done, though. The first is the landing mechanisms; Zeke got another four legs installed."

River looked puzzled. "Why?" she asked.

Mal laughed, "Last pilot landed wrong, broke two of the old four. So Zeke got another set of four installed and called them 'training legs'. That pilot became the best I've ever seen."

"What happened to him?" asked River.

Silence met the question. "You'll find out," said Kaylee.

A door opened in front of them. Zeke, captain of the Sleipnir, stood there. "Mal, welcome back!" He held out his hand and Mal shook it, a grin on his face.

"Hey there, Zeke, got some presents for you." Mal gestured behind him.

"You mean the girls?"

"No, the crates. No way you're getting you're hands on my crew."

"At the very least, introduce me!" Zeke stepped past Mal and made to shake Kaylee's hand. Mal sighed.

"Kaylee, this is Zeke, captain of this ship. Zeke, that there next to Kaylee is River. No you all know one another, let's do this."

"Ah yes, money. Follow me."

The four members of Serenity's crew followed Zeke through the corridors of the Sleipnir. The walk gave River time to observe this new person. Zeke was, perhaps, only five foot eight tall, with blonde hair that came down to his shoulders and a strong, muscular build that made River think of a brawler. The man seemed friendly enough, not at all like some of the other people Mal had dealt with. River stopped her musings as they neared a door that said, "Captain Zeke".

"Please, come in, take a load off." Zeke himself sat behind a large desk covered in papers. "Don't mind the mess, I'm a busy man."

Mal smiled. "You're never busy." He sat on a large, comfortable chair. "How much you offering, Zeke?"

"I'll give you twenty thousand, there's a lot there."

Mal sat up a little. "That's a fair amount, Zeke, you come into a bit of money?"

Zeke laughed. "The illicit trades are expanding. I have another ship now, demand was that great. Much of the credit lies in the man next to you, actually, so I'm giving him some cash as thanks." Zeke tossed a sizeable package to Mal, then a smaller one to Jayne. "Here you go, man, have ten grand."

Jayne looked as if he had just robbed a bank, successfully. "Gee, Zeke, I think I'll be telling more folk about you're little trade."

Zeke grinned. "Don't expect cash again, though," he said.

Mal said, "We've got some more crates that we'll bring around, about the same amount. You just make sure you put it all to good use, now."

Zeke considered. "I'll double your money when you deliver the next load. Another twenty grand. Where'd you get it all from, anyway?"

Mal looked Zeke in the eye. "A good friend. We're just making sure his legacy continues."

"I won't pry." Zeke glanced at a paper on his desk. "By the way, Mal, why was the Alliance hunting you like dogs for? Few weeks ago, I had to evade a small Alliance force that came looking for us. Said they needed to stop you going to ground."

Mal grinned. "You didn't get that transmission about the Miranda incident?"

Zeke laughed. "That was you? Oh, man, that was great! I didn't know you were into hacking waves!"

Jayne grinned. "Not anything like you, Zeke."

"Hey, I can't help it. Every time I try to stop, people keep bringing me equipment I can use." Zeke gestured towards Mal, grinning. "Can't kick a habit if the people you love support it."

"You don't want the equipment, I can always take it to Whitefall, get a good price…"

"Don't be silly." Zeke's expression grew serious. "By the way, I heard about Hoban. I'm sorry, Mal, he was a damn good man."

"Thanks, Zeke. But if it weren't for you he wouldn't have been such a good pilot. You didn't tell his folks?"

"No, no one has. Thought it was best Zoe did it." Zeke looked at his clock. "By the way, Mal, when I heard about Wash, I was hacking. I found this little piece of information, thought you might be interested."

"What's it about?" asked Mal.

"It's about your friend Book. Can I ask, what's he doing on Haven?"

Mal paused. "Nothing. He died when the Alliance burned up his home."

Zeke shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mal, I really am."

"Don't be. It happened, it's done. What's the info?"

"Well, Mal, you're not going to like it."

Jayne tapped his fingers on his chair. "Tell the man the information, Zeke."

Zeke hesitated. "Mal," he said, "It seems Shepherd Derria Book was working for the Alliance before he died."


	3. Chapter 3: The Wavescreen

**Chapter Three**

**The Wavescreen**

Mal blinked, slowly. The news stunned him to the core. Book, working for the Alliance? How was that possible?

Zeke gestured towards a wavescreen on the wall. "Watch this," he said. "I think you'll find it very informative." Zeke flipped a switch on the desk, and the lights dimmed. Another switch turned on the wavescreen, and another started a wave. The picture was blurry, but Mal, Jayne, Kaylee and River could still make out the silhouette forms of three people. Mal leaned closer as the audio started.

- - - -

"The informant? He's still alive?"

One of the agents nodded. "Yes, sir. He wasn't injured."

The figure asking questions of the other two, obviously the leader, shook his head. "I can't believe that Nishka didn't kill them all…"

"There was an ambush. It took Nishka by surprise. There was nothing he could do."

"The preacher took part?"

The second agent nodded. "Yes."

The leader rubbed his chin. "I wonder why he joined the assault?"

"Nishka had no idea that the preacher was involved. Apparently he stayed near the ship."

The first agent nodded. "We think it was a tactical manoeuvre. It showed the crew he was loyal to them."

"A smart move."

Both men nodded. "Yes," said the second, "the crew still has no idea of the preacher's importance."

The leader turned his back. He seemed to be thinking. Suddenly he turned, gun pointed at one of the agents. "I don't think they should know, either." A bang, and a flash, and only one man was left standing before the leader. The second agent reached into his pocket. Pulling his hand out, he pushed a button, and the device he held opened at both ends, revealing blue, glowing sticks.

"Drop it."

The agent paused, and then dropped the neurowave transmitter. The leader sighed, "You know that doesn't work on me, anyway."

- - - -

Mal sent a questioning look at Zeke. "Well, is there more?"

Zeke nodded. "Yes. But first, a question. When do you think this is?"

"Some time after we did the Arial job. We rolled over a hospital."

"That was you?"

Mal grinned. "You better gorram believe it."

Kaylee turned to look at River. The young pilot turned her gaze to meet Kaylee's. The scared look in River's eyes startled Kaylee. River didn't seem to notice. When she spoke it was a whisper, "Two by two, hands are blue."

- - - -

Zoe sat in the dining hall, mug in hand. Inara sat next to her, arm over Zoe's shoulder. The steam from the coffee rose slowly, fogging Zoe's vision, but she didn't seem to care. Her unfocused stare spooked Inara: she'd never seen Zoe like this before, ever. She thought: Is this what it would be like to lose Mal?

Inara considered her conversation with Kaylee earlier. The younger woman was right, of course. Inara and Mal were pathetic. At least Zoe and Wash had been open with their feelings. Inara squeezed Zoe's shoulder a little tighter. The fact that Inara's love life was the exact opposite of the woman that she was now comforting did nothing for her own emotional state.

Somewhere, deep inside her being, Inara finally found the courage to tell Mal how she felt about him.

- - - -

The agent lay dead next to his partner and the leader walked away casually. That was when the preacher came in. But it wasn't Book. This preacher was shorter, with a thick, muscular build, and sporting a bald head. He crossed himself and then started to drag the bodies away.

As the preacher dragged the body of the first agent around the corner, three men, in various outfits, came to stand near the dead second agent.

The first had an English accent, and carried a katana. "We will have to be very careful, my friends," he said.

The second was dressed in a red, skin-tight outfit. His hands were behind his back as he spoke, "We can't possibly be as stupid as these two. After all, we are better trained."

The Englishman nodded. "Indeed."

The third man was dressed entirely in black, a cape cloaking his face from view. "We should go our separate ways," he said. "We will have more chance of finding them if we split up."

The man in red grinned. "Our masters will be pleased with us."

"Our masters don't even know who we are." The cloaked man bent over the body of the second agent, noting the inception of rigor mortis. "These men were fools, they made themselves too visible. In the end, that cost them their lives."

"Perhaps they were simply in the wrong place," said the Englishman. "I intend to use our contacts within the Alliance. I will use their resources to find the Serenity, and in particular the specimen."

The man in red cracked his knuckles. "I will take my ship, and search the verse. I'm a bounty hunter by nature, so shall I be."

"Very well." The cloaked man stood. "I will stalk the shadows. The backwater planets, the haunts of criminals, shall be my home. I will listen only. When I hear something, I will inform you, but I will act straight away. The sooner these criminals are caught the better." He stood, clutching the agents' neurowave transmitter. "I will use all the tools at my disposal."

- - - -

River sat, eyes fixed on the image of the cloaked man. Kaylee reached a cautious arm out to the girl, but River did not respond. Mal and Jayne did not notice this, instead focusing their attention on Zeke.

"Do you know any of those men, Mal?" asked the captain of the Sleipnir.

"Well, yes, actually. That guy in the red, he's the one that took over my ship one night. Can't for the life of me remember the man's name, but he was two screws short of a sturdy hull. And that one with the sword, far as I know he's still alive, but he came after me during the Miranda incident." Seeing Zeke's panicked look, he added, "Don't worry about nothin', he's not after us anymore."

Zeke breathed a sigh of relief. "What about the cloaked man? Anything?"

Jayne shook his head. "Never seen him before in my life."

A tiny voice stopped the conversation in its tracks. "He's the one we should fear most. He knows nearly everything; he's the monster that sucks all knowledge from all corners of the universe. He knows all about the Alliance, and their experiments, and their drugs and their quest for superiority…"

Mal spun hard to face River. "What?"

River didn't seem to hear him. "He knows all about you, and your ship, and me! He knows about me, all about me, and if he could come out the shadows he would find me in an instant and crush me like he did the last person on his homeworld…"

"We got to get her out of here, Cap'n," said Jayne.

- - - -

"Care to make sense of what you said earlier, River?" Mal sat next to his pilot, while Simon prepared a needle. The rest of the crew stood in various locations around Serenity's infirmary, watching River intently.

"I can't say."

The crew groaned as one. Mal simply hung his head. "Kid, if we're gonna stay alive, we need to know what is following us."

Mal lifted his head, and met River's eyes. The girl looked deathly pale, but still she spoke. Even though her words were soft, more a breath than speech, all heard what River said.

"He's a Reaver."

- - - -

"Gorram it, Mal, what of she's wrong? What if she just thinks it's a Reaver and we're running from nothin'?"

"Hell, Jayne, I'm not willing to take the risk." Mal punched buttons on Serenity's console as the ship left the atmosphere, leaving the Sleipnir on the ground behind them. The blanket of space met them, and though Mal usually felt safe in its folds, this time it felt different. Now, it seemed, the stars themselves seemed to be watching his every move. Mal shivered.

"Go se," said Jayne, "I left my cash with Zeke."


	4. Chapter 4: Conundrum

**Chapter Four**

**Conundrum**

Zoe shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense," she said. "Book and Nishka, working together?"

"I know. It makes my head spin too. But that wave footage looked real enough for me to take notice." Mal slouched in the chair at River's terminal. He glanced over at Zoe, who was sitting lightly in the chair that still wore Wash's imprint. "What I don't understand though, is why Book didn't just kill us all."

"Attack of conscience?"

Mal snorted. "I don't think that's the preacher's way, Zoe. Got to know Book quite well during his time on board. You know as well as I do, he called a spade whenever he saw one."

"Perhaps. But I can't help thinking that if he was working with Nishka, and managed to hide it from us, well then maybe he was hiding something else, too."

Mal stood up, and went to stand next to the bridge door. Head hung, he said, "So what we've got here, is a preacher who was against us, or an enemy who was protecting us. It's an odd question to pose, Zoe."

River entered the bridge, sneaking under Mal's outstretched arm. "It's a conundrum."

Mal nodded absently. "It sure is…" He walked through the door, headed for the engine room.

River moved to her terminal, reached up, and flicked three switches. Zoe smiled. "You remind me of Wash, the way you do that," she said.

The young pilot sat in her chair, and bent over the radar screen. "Do you miss him?"

Zoe averted her eye from River's form. She focused on the toy stegosaurus still standing on top of Wash's terminal. She smiled. "Every moment of every day."

River allowed the room to go silent. She made sure the autopilot was still on course, and then she checked the override controls, making sure they were still in working order. Without looking at Zoe, she said, "I'm sorry."

Zoe turned to face River. "What?"

River looked Zoe in the eye. "I'm sorry about Wash. I'm sorry about making you all go to Miranda. If we hadn't of gone, he wouldn't be dead, and you wouldn't be sad." Zoe simply stared at River. As one, tears formed in both their eyes. "I hear you, you know," said River, softly. "I hear you in my dreams, when I'm sleeping…when I'm awake. I hear your misery, and you loneliness, and I'm sorry for putting you through that, Zoe…"

Zoe stood and walked over to River's terminal, putting a comforting arm around her. "It's not your fault, River. Wash died horribly, and cruelly, but he lives still. He lives with you, with me…he lives with all of us, because nothing can erase memories."

River smiled. "Not even the Alliance."

Together, the pilot and the lieutenant cried softly, sharing each other's sadness at the destruction of their lives.

- - - -

_The images race around and there's nothing I can do about them. They're simply there: I don't ask them to be, I don't want them to be but they persist. They stay and they haunt me, worse than the images of Reavers that I had on Miranda. _

_Simon Says used to be a fun game. Now, I find it hard to play, because Simon keeps saying silly things, like, it'll be alright, or, I'm gonna find out what they did. I don't think he can help, it's not his area – after all, he's a doctor of standard medicine and though he may be very intelligent, he lacks the full understanding of the brain's processing abilities._

_I wish he'd ask me about them. I'd tell him all I learnt while I was watching the scientists open my skull and pierce my brain with their shiny scalpels of torture. I'd tell him what I saw when Jerrod finally died, screaming and twisting his body in agony even as the lifeblood seeped from the lacerations he had inflicted on himself._

_­_

- - - -

"I mean, what else are we meant to glean from it?" Jayne's eyes were adamantly trying to convince Simon that what the mouth was saying was true. "We all saw it, even your crazy sister saw it. I'm telling you, that gorram bastard was working with Nishka."

Simon shook his head. "But it makes no sense," he said. "If that was true, why didn't Book just kill us and be done with it?"

"Wave led us to believe that the preacher was a spy."

Simon stared at Jayne in disbelief. "And you believed the wave of a _pimp?_"

Jayne shrugged. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

Simon laughed. "The man is ankle deep in crime, he's a renowned thief and he is probably being chased by the Alliance just as much as we are, and you're trying to tell me that the wave of this man's was credible?"

Jayne considered. "Well, no one else knew of our assault on Nishka's station, now, did they?" Jayne grinned. "Just us, Nishka himself and those bastards in Alliance pay that are meant to know."

Simon went to retort when Mal walked in to the infirmary. "It's true. Just got a wave from the Alliance, picked it up on the scanner. It was coded but the override that Zeke gave us before we left managed to decode it for us. Bridge, now, both of you."

In the bridge, River and Zoe were now bent over the command console, hastily trying to fix a small problem with the picture. A short tap on the monitor from Zoe instantly caused all the monitors on the bridge to light up simultaneously. "Got it," Zoe said, and River grinned at her.

Mal, Jayne and Simon walked in just as Kaylee appeared from her room. Inara came in last. All seven crew members gazed at any screen that was available to them, and watched as the transmission played.

- - - -

_Blood is interesting – the way it feeds your body even as it infects it. It was the principle that the scientists on Ariel founded their entire bank of research on. Blood may be thicker than water but the water they put in me had the same consistency, the same basic properties of blood. It had its own cells, red and white, just like blood. Only, this new blood stayed in the brain, feeding my intellect relentlessly. What the scientists wanted to know was how the blood-chemical affected the brains' ability to gather information for _itself

_Haemoglobic transcendentalism, referred to in the lab as HGT, is the process where the new blood cells, known as the transcendent cells, take root in the brain. The old blood supplies the new blood with the necessary ingredients that the brain needs, just like normal blood does, like nothing had ever happened. What the transcendent cells do is take that energy coming in, multiply it, and supply the brain with just enough to survive. Then, the rest of the energy is spent by converting it into waves, similar to those emitted to wavescreens all over the 'verse. In fact, the waves are so similar that messages hidden in wavescreen shows or advertisements can be used as triggers in the HGT infected individual._

_The transcendent cells, upon creating this wave energy, send it out of the host body, bouncing the waves off other brains throughout the verse. Once the waves hit a mind, they bounce back, and that is where my 'psychic' ability comes from._

- - - -

"—can't quite make out the message, but it would appear to be a message from our contact on board _Serenity_. The blood makes it a little hard to read, I'm afraid, but it says that the Alliance attack on the moon of Haven was a mistake. I don't know what that lunatic was thinking ordering that attack, but it just may have jeopardised the entire capture effort. If _Serenity _had been allowed to go to ground on Haven things could have been stopped before the Miranda incident even happened and then I would not be under the pressure I am under."

The Alliance official talking paused for breath, obviously trying to stop rambling. He was nervous, Mal noted. It soon became clear why. The same raspy voice that had been under the black cloak in the wave Zeke had shown them suddenly spoke.

"I understand the pressure, Captain, but understand, the reason my colleague destroyed the preacher's base was so that the crew could not have sanctuary. It was a plan designed to make Malcolm Reynolds make a rash decision and it failed. These things happen."

"Sir, with all due respect…"

"No, this has gone on long enough. It is time the ship was captured. If the preacher is useless to us, then we shall employ different methods to meet our end. Send a wave to Alliance command. Tell them to carry out my order."

The screens went black. Simon nodded in the dark. "Yep, definitely real alright. I know that man in the picture."

Jayne grunted. "So? We all do. Hot-shot Cain Baxter, Captain of the Alliance Fleet."

"Alright, enough talk. River, get on the controls."

Zoe looked at Mal. "Where to, sir?"

Mal did not return Zoe's gaze. "We're going back to Haven."

- - - -

_The hard part is trying to tell Simon about it. I know he means well, and he just wants me to be rid of this curse, but I can't bring myself to tell him about the procedure. I don't know why. Once I got close, but then I stopped and couldn't say another word. It makes no sense. And when I think of telling him I tell myself no, that he's going to sort it out himself anyway, shortly, and he's more interested in Kaylee at the moment, and there is the rest of the crew getting shot at occasionally. He can't be tending to me every second of every day. The problem is that I feel like a pile of go se every time I don't tell him, and it infuriates me inside that my vocals can't articulate what my mind screams at him._

_I can't control it. I suspect I never will. It is like a disease – that is why I referred to it as an infection. But sometimes, I feel glad that I have this ability._

_But now, these new minds that I am touching are beginning to intrude upon my thoughts. I think they can control their abilities, but I can't be certain. It will take some time before I will know that for certain._


End file.
